Albus, Meet Albus
by overthemoonandstars
Summary: Albus can't find his way to Charms, stumbles upon Dumbledore's office, and meets his namesakes. Cute little oneshot.


**Disclaimer: Headmasters and Albus Potter belong to JK Rowling. Story belongs to me.**

**This was earlier posted under my old account, if you recognize it (which I highly doubt anyone does).**

**Flames will be used to bake me a chocolate cake of friendship and love. **

**Haters gonna hate, bakers gonna bake.**

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The hallway was deserted.

It was a dusty little area that hardly anyone used.

Except for the rare student that mistakenly sought the help of Peeves in finding a class.

Students just like Al. He was currently running along that very hallway, tripping frequently in his long robe. Second Hogwarts class of his life, and he had absolutely no idea where he was.

He stopped by a large stone sculpture to catch his breath.

"Schedule for Potter, Albus..." he read down his paper. He didn't notice that the gargoyle had started to turn after he had muttered his name, revealing a winding staircase. He looked up, trying to figure out what classroom he was closest to, and leaned against the wall- or tried to. He fell to the ground, his head narrowly missing the edge of the first step.

He was startled for a moment, then shook it off, curiosity taking over. He knew of several different secret passageways in the castle because of James, who had boasted of his discovery and usage of several.

_Must be one of them, _thought the boy, and got up to take the staircase. He was going to be late for class, which was one floor up, anyway. Might as well use the closest stairs.

He trudged up, banging a toe or two, tripping constantly the new robes he wasn't used to wearing. The sweat forming on his forehead told him it was more than a story up, but his intense curiosity told him to not stop, to not turn around.

He was immensely relieved when a handsome set of wooden double doors came into view, a few steps ahead. He finally reached the top and pulled the door open by a massive bronze handle.

The door opened up into a large room, lit by hundreds of candles floating over his head.

Albus looked around the oval-shaped room. The walls were covered by paintings of snoring people, all of whom looked rather odd. There was a man with an ear trumpet, snoozing in a comfy chair in the frame. A small bronze name plate was underneath, too small to read from far away.

There were other people that caught his attention. One man, sallow-faced and with greasy hair(snoring rather loudly), seemed familiar to the boy, but he couldn't place him. His photo was right next to a portrait of a silver-haired man with crescent glasses who was awake and looking at him intently.

"Oh, um, sorry. I didn't mean-"

The paintings awoke at his voice, and all started speaking when they saw Albus.

"Who are you?"

"How did you even get in?"

"Wait, is that-"

"Why, he looks _just_ like-"

"Yes, you can see Lily's eyes-"

"Silence!" called an unpleasant-looking man, with a nameplate that read 'PHINEAS NIGELLUS BLACK' on it. He harrumphed and turned to the man with silver hair.

All the paintings stopped talking, though all looked confused and most were still whispering to one another. They looked to the man, while Albus, off-task, stared in fascination at the silver instruments whirring and spinning on the table. Several were broken and all were covered in a thick layer of dust- same as, Albus noticed, everything else in the room.

The man above the chair cleared his throat. "How did you get in here? Not even the prefects know the password."

"Password? Sorry, I was just trying to make it to Charms and that staircase opened up. I thought it might be a shortcut. My dad told my me and my brother about a lot of them, so I thought..."

The paintings looked shocked, but the man leaned forward, a curious and hopeful look on his face. "Are you Harry Potter's son?" Albus was suddenly wary. How did he know?

At the look on Albus's face, the old man spoke. "I was the headmaster when your father went here."

The boy relaxed, understanding. He did look much like his dad. "So, I'm not anywhere near Charms class, am I?"

Most of the paintings chuckled in disbelief. One asked, 'You don't have a clue where you are, do you? What, did Peeves help you?"

Albus winced at that.

"How else do you think he showed up here?" one replied,

Then the painting next to the lead man spoke up-the one with greasy hair. "That's in the other side of the castle. Perhaps you should borrow a certain map I'm sure your father owns." he raised one eyebrow.

Albus tightened his schoolbag on his shoulder. "He does, actually. How do you know?" How did these paintings know so much? Al was starting to realize that maybe his trip hadn't been such a good idea...

"I was a teacher of your father's until I became headmaster. I caught him with it once." He looked distant at that, as if caught up in resurfacing memories.

"Oh." Albus was ready to sprint for the door, but his stubborn curiosity stopped him. "Are you _all_ headmasters of Hogwarts?"

"Yes," said the man with the ear trumpet. "Just paintings of them, though." His voice was sad.

"Best be going now, boy, if you want to get to class in time," a painting close to him spoke. Albus nodded, and walked back a couple of steps, to the door.

"Before you go, what is your name?" it was the silver-haired man who spoke now. Albus turned back.

"Well, you said it yourself. Potter." He prepared to leave again, then stopped when the man called out again.

"No, full name." Al was surprised. Why would they need to know that? "Albus Severus Potter." he replied. The room was dead silent. Al suddenly felt awkward. "What?"

The man smiled, and turned to the man next to him. "See, Severus?" he said, watching as a puzzled expression came to Al's face. "Harry realized in the end what you'd really done."

The greasy haired man looked up again. "I suppose you're right," he said softly. Then the old man spoke. "Albus, did your father ever tell you who you were named after?"

It suddenly dawned on him. Of course! "Two headmasters of Hogwarts," he said, as his father had told him recently. "And they were you and him, weren't they?" he questioned, gesturing to them. The man nodded.

"My name is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," he replied. Al was in shock. _The_ Dumbledore? His first name was _Albus_? "Wow, I-I can't believe- it's great to meet you." he stammered, in complete awe. He'd have asked for an autograph if paintings could write.

The man to his right spoke up. "I am Severus Snape. Your father... he really named you after _me_?" he asked, incredulous.

Al nodded and couldn't believe it. _Snape?_ The one he had heard so much about? He felt like he was now in the presence of two superstars, and he could hardly speak. "I-I never knew your first names! Wow, I've heard so much about-"

He was cut off by the late bell. _Oh no,_ Albus thought.

"I'm sorry! I have to go! I'll be back!" He was halfway out the door before a call stopped him. "Wait!"

He turned back. Snape had called out. "Yes?"

Snape looked into Al's eyes, and he was suprised by the compassion and hopefulness he could see from across the room.

"Tell your father hello for us." He said, then went on after a small hesitation. "Say that I'm sorry I treated him so badly... but that I hope I made up."

The old man next to him was obviously trying to hold back tears, but he smiled. "You'd best be going."

Al nodded. "I promise I'll tell him." He paused again before he left. "But seeing as I'm named after you and he said you were the bravest man he'd ever met, I think you did make it up."

And then he was gone.

Not forever, though.

He visited very day during school until he was in his seventh year, using the password 'Albus' to get in. And then he graduated, and for ten lonely years no one came.

But then one day, a small girl came in, with bright green, inquisitive eyes.

"Hi." She said. "My name's Ariana Potter."

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**How was that? Sorry if the characters were a little bit OOC... I think they were, as I'm better at my own characters than other author's. **

**Oh, and if you're wondering, I had Al name his daughter Ariana after Dumbledore's sister.**

**Thanks for reading, please review!**

**-overthemoonandstars**


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